These look like great goals. I think I might adopt most of them for myself. My one complaint about the Bike Center (bike parking) downtown is that it gets very hot in the summer — hot enough to fry the display on my cycle computer on one occasion. That means I remove the computer when I park there, and often forget to slide it back into place when I get back on the road. I need to add getting better at that to this list, so as to customize it for myself. I don’t think I own a growler from East End, but I do own a growler from the Cider House. Fair trade? (Other than East End’s fabulous support of biking in the community?)

Swalfoort – an aside, Bike center, any chance you could recommend to the operators that they install a solar powered ventilator or 2 in the place? No power required, self-contained, and run only when the sun is out. Probably like $400/ea. plus installation.

id like to find some other riders that would like to do some riding in the morning since i work 12 noon till 9pm ive riden 2000 miles in 2011 all by myself either on the ghost town trail montour trail or the riverfront trail; that goes by the casino

Haven’t been around much lately because I haven’t been cycling at all. (For those not following my rare posts on twitter, I hurt my knee.) Had a couple 30mi weeks on the stationary lately and all seems well… so I should be back on the road soon! (I CAN’T WAIT!!!)

My new years resolutions are:

1) to be better prepared for my next century.

2) try and be a more kindly and social cyclist (I actually went on group rides last year!)

1. Ok, goal 1, I’m going for bike to work 50 times in ’12. A challenge (for me) but acheivable. That’s really where my desire lies this year. I will count a bike-in-bus-out as a .5. Man I love daylight saving time.

So how many resolutions have people actually kept, and has anybody got any “tricks” (other than willpower)? I’ve noticed that if I’m super specific and not too ambitious, I have a chance. But still not that great a one, so I’m trying to step up my game at it this year.

I’m trying to make mine super duper specific with graduated and equally specific milestones. I’ve also divvied them up by daily, weekly, and monthly efforts. Yup, there’s a spreadsheet involved (the “gold star” effect I hope will be enough to build good momentum).

The only cycling related one is a daily: Run or Ride, 30 minutes or more, outside, every day. Straightforward and doable.

Ok, I’ve got another cycling goal, but since it involves other beings I’m hesitant to call it a resolution since I may fail due to external causes – Get BOTH dogs (recently added one) trained to ride with me. The one rides well on her little extension leash, but she prefers the collar to the harness and I’m petrified I’ll break her neck accidentally, so we’re trying to sort it out. The other… he’s young, huge, and is still learning leash manners. To get both dogs with the bike at the same time going in the same direction would be awesome.

@ej, might I suggest adding in-line skating to the mix? In the event that one of the dogs’ necks gets in front of you, it would be easier to hop/dive/step.

@e59, I think what I need first is space to work on things. That means a basement purge (similar to your #2), which is not on my goals list, but a clear candidate to be my #11.

Somewhere in the rubble is a beautiful 21-speed Specialized, nothing wrong with it except stuck cables and flat tires from disuse. I might actually do some off-road if I just took an evening and cleaned it up. So many other things and projects in front of it I never even think about it.

1. Polo. Stay healthy, play hard, play smart. Qualify for the North American Championships, do my best in them. Compete hard for the PA State Championship (team got 3rd last month, I want our name on the cup next time).

2. Travel. My plan for 2011 was to spend roughly two months not in Pittsburgh. Success — spent 53 nights out of town this past year. Repeat that.

6. Run a large scale cycling event of some sort. Been a couple of years since, I’ve got the itch to do it again.

Also have some others, like doing my part on the BikePGH board to make Pedal Pittsburgh and 2012 Bikefest a success, and some business goals to make sure I continue to not have a boss and keep food on the table.

stu – I have rollerblades, and considered offering them to reddan if they fit him. I can’t stop in them… or slow down (I miss the toe stops of rollerskates). At least running and on a bike I could slow the mutt down… on rollerblades, I’d have to fall down to be a hinderance to his exuberance… I seriously think I have more control/agility on a bike (or unwheeled feet), and for me, that’s saying a LOT.

Stu and edmonds – decluttering is a total passion of mine. If you need pointers, tips, help, let me know. I’ve got a book list of motivators I pick up when I feel stuck, to keep the momentum going. I made progress last year, and the trend is easily continuing (one of the few resolutions that has easily stuck for me!). There’s nothing as satisfying as a sparkly clean closet. Except maybe eating chocolate ice cream while looking at a sparkly clean closet.

I was successful last year with my goal of driving to work even less than the previous year and I should be able to expand on that even more this year now that PAT has a bike rack on every bus.

My main cycling goal for 2012 is to stop making excuses and ride the Escape to the Lake with the Thick team. I have issues with migraine headaches after long or strenuous rides but if I can figure out why it’s happening it will mean I can also ride my mountain bike more which means I have another goal for 2012. Have more fun on the bike.

Same here. More electrolytes (I was drinking coconut water on the last MS150 and it worked pretty well), ibuprofen early and often. Also, pay a little extra and get a real bed so you aren’t staying up all night drinking with the rest of the Thick team

Same here, especially anything over about 85 miles. Followed by up to 3 days of being just plain ole pissy.

I did some reading and apparently for some people their blood sugar can take a big dip after sustained work.

Based on that advice, after my last century I made sure to consume some ridiculous amount ( I think about 300grams) of carbs within an hour of finishing. It was kinda fun, and crazy unhealthy since all I could find was a connivence store… so all the food groups ice cream, candy bars, sugary drinks and chips!

That seemed to do the trick, not only did I not get a headache on the drive back from Findlay… but I was in a stellar mood all the following week.

– do another century (the 2011 MS 150 was my first, so 2011 wasn’t a *total* loss.)

– stop obsessing over a new bike and get one (or two or three) already.

Ironically, I blame selling my car for the decline in commuting trips and miles. The damn scooter is too tempting. There were a lot of trips (both to work and otherwise) where I wouldn’t have dreamed of driving my car but I rationalized taking the scooter.

-less carbs, more fruits and veggies. I need to be a better vegetarian. I need to stop being lazy about about getting to the store to get fresh fruits and veggies

– get a century in by the end of the year

– get back on the bike ASAP after pooping out a baby this summer (if everything goes well and as planned). And a future goal will be to get that kid on a bike as soon as it can use a balance bike. Kids walk around the age of 1, right?

-volunteer for the ms150 since I probably shouldn’t do it

-more mountain biking

Also re: migraines. I get them also after centuries. I took a few Excedrin migraine tablets about 1/2 way into the ride last year before I developed one and it helped a lot. I am sure there is some sort of electrolyte imbalance factor to migraines, but for me personally, hydrating, eating well, and replacing electrolytes doesn’t work. My migraines are a result of too much light or just focusing/using my eyes a lot. I used to get them in surgery under the bright OR lights until I adjusted, and I get them sometimes after going to the movies. But like I said, taking medicine before getting a migraine was very helpful. I was able to take 2 more tablets after the ride and I was functional.

@edmonds: The illustration of the Rene Herse is lovely, and I’m digging the Merckx drillium bars…

@nick: Check out this calendar for reasonably local brevets and ultra events; we’ve(Pgh Randos) got a few things scheduled before CtC that’d be good training opportunities. We’re offering a 200K and 300K, and there will likely be assorted 100K-ish training rides as well.